Red dry
An iconic, prestigious, and one of the most collector-acclaimed wines of South Africa, regarded as a true benchmark of Stellenbosch. Paul Sauer is a Bordeaux-style cuvée in which Kanonkop’s craftsmanship meets the power and depth of the region’s red-granite terroir.
In the glass, the wine opens with aromas of blackcurrants, plums, blackberries, and black cherries, followed by notes of tobacco, cedar, graphite, cocoa, cigar box and subtle sweet spices. The bouquet is deep, layered, and refined, reminiscent of top-tier Bordeaux.
On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, highly concentrated, and structurally precise. The tannins are firm yet silky and perfectly integrated, while the acidity is lively, adding tension and complexity. Flavours of dark fruits, forest floor, cedar, and graphite unfold alongside nuances of dried fruits and spices. The finish is very long, dry, mineral, and structurally clean.
The grapes grow on the slopes of Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, rooted in red-granite Hutton soils that lend the wine its structure, firm tannins, and mineral profile. The southern exposure and cooling maritime winds ensure slow, even ripening that preserves elegance and acidity.
The cuvée is composed of three classic Bordeaux varieties: ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ provides structure, tannins, and a firm backbone; ‘Merlot’ contributes softness and textural roundness; and ‘Cabernet Franc’ adds aromatic finesse and subtle herbal notes. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel to preserve purity of fruit, followed by 24 months of maturation in 100% new French oak barrels, imparting noble spice, refined complexity, and long aging potential.
Serve at 16–18 °C. This wine pairs well with ribeye steak, slow-cooked lamb shank, or aged hard cheeses such as Comté or Gruyère.
Kanonkop Winery is often referred to as South Africa’s Priemier Grand Cru Classe winery. The family winery, which has been handed down from generation to generation for more than 40 years, owns 100 hectares of vineyards on the slopes of Mount Simonsberg, where more than 50 years old Pinotage vines can be found. Here the productions are some of the best red wines in all of South Africa. Wine production is based on old traditions: most of the vineyards are not artificially irrigated, the wine is fermented in shallow wide concrete tanks and then matured in French oak barrels; and everything is done on the same farm.
